# DNA sequencing IDs mushroom behind ‘tiny people’ visions

2026-08-07T16:45:46+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Nearly a century after reports of 'mushroom madness' first surfaced in Papua New Guinea, DNA sequencing has identified a single species responsible for the phenomenon. Researchers at the University of Utah and the Natural History Museum of Utah confirmed that Lanmaoa asiatica, a wild bolete mushroom sold in China's Yunnan province, causes Lilliputian hallucinations, visions of tiny, colourful people, when eaten undercooked. The same species was found in the Philippines, where it is known as Sedesdem. Surprisingly, chemical and genetic analysis found no known psychoactive compounds like psilocybin in the mushroom. This suggests an entirely unknown hallucinogenic substance is at work. The study, published in the journal Mycologia, relied on specimens collected from Yunnan and the Philippines. Unusually dry weather prevented comparison samples from Papua New Guinea. The team is now working to isolate the active chemical, which could offer a new tool for studying human perception and consciousness.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/in-1934-scientists-heard-reports-of-mushrooms-causing-visions-of-tiny-people-in-2026-dna-linked-the-phenomenon-to-one-species-in-china-and-the-philippines/articleshow/133035457.cms>

Tags: DNA sequencing, hallucination, Lanmaoa asiatica, Lilliputian, mushroom, science
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